Free Comic Book Day offers everything from A (for Archie) to Z (for zombies)

Moms are showered with flowers on Mother's Day, the second Sunday in May; dads often get colorful ties on Father's Day, the third Sunday in June. And on the first Saturday in May, comic book fans have their own four-color feast: Free Comic Book Day.

Dozens of titles will be handed out Saturday at participating stores across the country, specially prepared for the event by publishers both big and small. At Archie Comics, for example, "We've got two amazing offerings that really represent our line as it stands today: Archie Digest No. 1, which collects a number of classic and modern Archie teen tales that fans will love, and a flip book featuring [video game heroes] Sonic and Mega Man," said Jon Goldwater, the company's co-CEO and publisher.

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Archie Digest #1 is one of 60 special comics that will be handed out free on Saturday.

"Free Comic Book Day has grown over the years, and it’s now practically a national holiday," said Gerry Gladston, co-owner of Midtown Comics in Manhattan, where hundreds of customers waited in line for the event last year. This year the retailer is taking a novel step: a separate online Free Comic Book Day on Monday, May 5, when comics will be given away through its website.

"FCBD '14 will be the biggest ever, buoyed by two major Marvel Comics movies in the theaters at the same time," Gladston added, referring to "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" and "The Amazing Spider-Man 2," which opens today.

"We've always been big supporters of Free Comic Book Day," Goldwater told TODAY.com of the event, which started in 2002. "We're providing content not only for the core comic reader who already comes to comic shops, but for kids who are coming in for the first time."